


A Lieutenant and His Right Hand

by spiralcadence



Category: Transformers, Transformers: Shattered Glass
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-29
Updated: 2015-03-29
Packaged: 2018-03-20 06:05:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3639537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiralcadence/pseuds/spiralcadence
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabbles consisting of a grumpy minibot and a dorky science jet. Set in the Shattered Glass series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Lieutenant and His Right Hand

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sparklight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparklight/gifts).



> Cliffjumper and Starscream happen to be some of my favorite characters from the Shattered Glass comics/shorts. They have such a great friendship that I can't help but ship them. Writing isn't exactly my strong point, but I hope this is an enjoyable read regardless.

  * **Lively**



The shooting range wasn't one of Starscream's favorite places to spend his free time. Seeing some of his work in action never did bring him any satisfaction. What brought him here was seeing that manic grin on the strange Autobot's features. Every time Cliffjumper got his hands on some kind of experimental weapon, there was a disturbingly bright gleam to his optics. Cliffjumper too often reminded him of a young thing with that bounce in his step right before he would take aim at the targets. Watching the recoil knock the red minibot into some discarded scrap metal, Starscream sighed. As Cliffjumper popped out of it with a howl of excitement, he questioned the sanity of agreeing to this in the first place.

 

 

  * **Remorseful**



How the passage of time worked between realities was something that he'd leave one of those stuffy science-types to figure out. Cliffjumper didn't know how long he had been gone or how to explain away his absence. As the light behind him started to fade, so did his duty to those heroic Decepticons. They would be fine on their own, hunting down the remnants of those slagging poor excuses for Autobots. Still, there was a small part of his spark that tugged at him. Turning to watch that last flicker of Starscream's newest invention in the works, the realization of what that dumb jet just did hit him. 

"That Pit-spawned _idiot_ ," the minibot growled, hands balling up into fists. 

 

 

  * **Dismiss**



"Shoulda figured you'd still have your faceplates glued to that desk," Cliffjumper huffed from the lab's entryway. Starscream, of course, made a non-committal sound from the center of the room, fingers furiously typing away at Primus knew what. Knowing that there was a high chance that the scientist didn't even really hear what he said, there was only one way to deal with the situation. Cliffjumper closed the distance, hand smacking white armor lightly. Well, not _too_ lightly. 

It seemed to work, as Starscream suddenly sat upright, wings twitching in surprise. "What was that for?"

"As if you don't know!" he countered, bristling. "Slaggin' _Pit_... You've been here for almost two solar cycles! I was sent here to make sure your dumb aft hadn't rusted to your seat!"

Starscream actually looked ashamed. No one that big had any business looking that small and defenseless. It almost made him feel for the guy. Almost. If he didn't feel a _little_ concerned about the moron getting some energon into his systems, then maybe he would let something like this slide...

"Just ten more minutes," the jet pleaded. "I almost have this."

Forget it. The glitch didn't deserve that kind of mercy. Cliffjumper threw up his hands in an irritated growl. Some guys just never changed.

 

 

  * **Heavy**



Slipping into recharge wasn't easy during the off cycles, even with the added benefit of sharing his partner's berth. There was always some sort of unease that settled into the minibot's frame. It was times like this that he started to think too hard about the situation that he had been thrust into. How surreal was it, to be fighting faces he knew and - to a degree - cared about while listening and giving out orders to those he had been fighting for millions of years? Everything in this places was to fragging strange and twisted. At times, like at this moment, it felt as if there was a vice on his spark chamber. 

Right now he was getting too twitchy. Surely He didn't like thinking about it. Maybe a trip to the shooting range or cleaning out his rifle would clear his processor. Cliffjumper shifted, about ready to get up. Starscream would notice if he didn't do something about this. Cliffjumper didn't feel the need to wake up the Decepticon SIC from his much needed rest. The minibot suddenly felt a large hand on his back and an engine rumble beneath him.

Resisting the urge to slap the guy, Cliffjumper just huffed something close to a laugh. This guy... Even in recharge he was impossible. There was no dislodging that hand so he settled back in, allowing that steady thrum of a jet's engine to lull him into recharge.

 

 

  * **Forward**



Cliffjumper smirked as Ravage and Soundwave ran out of the rec room, Starscream still doling out meaningless threats. The prank apparently must have gone off without a hitch. Glancing over, the minibot had to hold back a laugh himself. Plenty of people called the lieutenant commander a "mother hen," but now that was almost literal. Starscream was covered in an adhesive and feathers. Cliffjumper wasn't going to question _how_ they managed to get that many feathers, but the result was hilarious either way. Starscream didn't look too happy, but oh well. A moment's discomfort on the jet's behalf never really bothered the minibot anyway.

"Looks like I win the bet," he smirked, grinning at the sight of Starscream trying to rub off all those feathers with little success. "It wasn't even a full orn before Soundwave pulled another stunt."

"So it would seem," Starscream replied irritably. "I suppose you want your winnings?"

The minibot was about to say something like "obviously," but there was suddenly a look in Starscream's optics that he knew wasn't going to end well for him. Before the red Autobot was able to slip away, Starscream scooped him up. The minibot yelped and raised his hand to slap that white armor. Instead of connecting, the jet just grabbed that hand. Starscream kissed Cliffjumper right there, in the center of the rec room. He would kill this rusted slagheap, he swore. Later. After he recovered from the sudden heat in his circuits.

 

 

  * **Cut**



"The laceration is pretty deep, Cliff," Starscream scolded. "A few more inches and it could have severed it completely."

Naturally, Cliffjumper just huffed and declared that it wasn't really all that bad. Starscream glared at him for a few moments until red shoulders hunched more. The way that the red Autobot's face scrunched up was a telltale sign that he _did_ feel bad. A severed fuel line was nothing to scoff at. In the end, the jet sighed and set to work repairing it. He wasn't able to stay upset at Cliffjumper for long. Being reckless was, at times, his nature and while Starscream really did wish Cliffjumper would exercise caution... He wouldn't change the minibot for the world.

After a few minutes, his audio receptors heard something close to a "sorry" come from the lips of the other Cybertronian. Starscream smiled softly, he finished the temporary patch. All was forgiven, they both knew that. The scientist merely sealed the apology with a gentle kiss to the repaired line. Cliffjumper huffed, but didn't shove the other away. That made Starscream chuckle warmly as his fingers brushed one of those sensory horns.

"Just be a little more careful next time."

 

 

  * **Scowl**



One of the things that Starscream found rather attractive about the strange Autobot sitting across from him was all of those facial expressions. Many of the other Decepticons thought that Cliffjuper had a limited range of emotions. Starscream would beg to differ. It was all about watching the minibot closely. Right now he wore a little frown. To others, it was his default. Starscream knew from that the way those lips twitched down that it meant Cliffjumper was just thinking hard about something. If he was really mad or irritable, then his optic ridge would have been set in a downward angle and he would have been looking more at an object or a person. If his nasal ridge was scrunched, then Cliffjumper was actually more embarrassed or suspicious than anything else. 

"What're you looking at?" he huffed, nose doing that exact scrunching thing. Cliffjumper was bracing himself for the answer, clearly.

Starscream hummed and grinned. "Oh nothing. Just admiring from afar."

Then Cliffjumper _actually_ scowled.

 

 

  * **Shield**



Everything happened far too fast. The battle had been going as well as one could expect. Rodimus was gloating about how the Decepticons wouldn't dare come any closer, not when there were humans in danger. Starscream, too predictably for Cliffjumper's liking, ordered for the humans to be evacuated over their comms. So Cliffjumper went to do just that. What he didn't expect was the fire slowly making its way to the barrels of stolen oil. He saw it too late to do anything but expect the worst. Cliffjumper turned, gathering what humans he could to them to take the brunt of the blast. He was sure there was yelling over the comm, but he ignored it. The roar of the explosion hit his audio sensors.

Yet when he flickered his optics back online, he was fine. The humans were fine. When he tried to move to really look around, he couldn't. There was something heavy weighing him down, but not enough to crush the humans. Had the ceiling caved in on them instead? No, there would have been more dust and debris.

Cliffjumper's engine nearly stalled as he shifted carefully. A white arm limply fell into view. There were bits of red and white metal jarring loose and hitting the ground. The smell of energon and scorched metal filled his sensors. Before Cliffjumper realized it, the humans were being pulled out to safey and soon there were hands grabbing at him as well. Only then did he get a good look at the state Starscream was now in.

And his spark stopped.

 

 

  * **Broken Wings**



"How long until you think you can fly again?" Cliffjumper asked, vocalizer strained.

Starscream didn't immediately reply. The blast had done quite a bit of damage and despite the upgrades to their self repairs, he was still sore. His fingers stroked at one of those red hip joints, lost in thought for a moment. He didn't regret jumping in front of that explosion. They would have lost Cliffjumper and perhaps the humans too otherwise. It really wasn't that uncommon for one of the Decepticons to make such a "sacrifice." He would do it again without hesitation. The temporary loss of his flight systems until they were properly repaired were minimal.

Only the squirming of the minibot in his lap brought him out of his thoughts. Cliffjumper was brushing his fingers across Starscream's cockpit glass, refusing to look up. Somehow the Autobot felt guilty for what happened on that mission. That wouldn't do at all. The jet took that small chin in his fingertips and gave the other a rather firm kiss. There was an astrosecond of hesitation before the minibot kissed back, clutching a little tightly onto Starscream's armor.

"I'll be back in the air with you screaming at me to not fly in lightning storms soon enough. Stop worrying so much."

 

 

  * **Memorial**



Rebuilding Cybertron had been a long process with too many struggles and compromises having been made. Their numbers weren't as high as what Galvatron had hoped, but it was more than what Starscream expected. Cliffjumper stuck with the Decepticons through it all. He saw their war come to an end and was pleased with the result. Now that there were a few functioning cities scattered across the planet's surface, there was some time to actually grieve what was lost so many centuries ago. That was why Cliffjumper was at this monument with Starscream. Emotional support is what the jet claimed he needed.

Crystal City wasn't on the list of the first places to be rebuilt. There was nothing left for anyone to even begin. The glass structure that he and the jet were standing from happened to be the only surviving remnant of what was once the jewel of Cybertron. They brought it here, to Kaon, and set it up as a place of remembrance. Starscream often came here - once every orbital cycle - as if it were a ritual. It only took Cliffjumper a few times to pick up on why. The jet came here for the anniversary of his hometown's destruction.

Every time, just like now, that large engine would start to sputter. Grief and guilt always flooded Starscream's EM field, but the minibot didn't say anything. There were no words that would soothe the ember of his lover. Instead he did the only thing that he knew that Starscream would accept. His hand lifted and he started to rub the leading edges of Starscream's wings. This is what Starscream meant by emotional support. Cliffjumper would give it to him in silence and without hesitation.

Always.


End file.
